AN ARTICLE ON THE RHETORIC OF POLITICS

FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Healthcare reform: America, the violent? How the political parties are complicit.

AMERICA THE VIOLENT? I’D SAY NOT COMPARED TO FRANCE AND ALL THEIR LABOR STRIKES. STILL, I’LL HAND IT TO THEM FOR A CATCHY TITLE.THIS PIECE IS FAIRLY OBJECTIVE, NO DOUBT. I JUST REALLY DON’T LIKE THIS EQUIVOCATION WHEN REAL VIOLENCE EXISTS ALL OVER THE WORLD. STILL, THIS IS A GLITTERING EXAMPLE OF THE LEFT PLAYING COY AND EMPLOYING FALSE MORAL EQUIVALENCE WHICH BELIES THEIR BIGOTRY TOWARD THE RIGHT STARTING WITH THE TITLE.

TO WHAT DO I REFER? I’M GETTING REALLY SICK OF THE LEFT COMPARING WORDS TO REAL, ACTUAL VIOLENCE LIKE THE KIND WE SEE AROUND THE WORLD AND THE KIND THE LEFT WILL INFLICT THROUGH THE POLICE/FBI ON ANYONE WHO DARE OPPOSE THEM. A MORE USURPING EXAMPLE OF MORAL EQUIVALENCE THAT PARADES AS NEWS/ANALYSIS IS GIVEN IN THE QUOTE BELOW. THE AUTHOR ASSERTS THAT THE CONSERVATIVES ARE CURRENTLY ACCUSING THE LEFT OF MISLEADING THE PUBLIC BY ASSOCIATING THE RIGHT WITH THE VIOLENT AND THE CRIMINAL WHEN IN REALITY THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT IS POPULATED BY APPLE PIE LOVING MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS WHO JUST DON’T LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT USURPING AUTHORITY NOT GRANTED IT BY THE CONSTITUTION. THIS OUTRAGE ON THE RIGHT IS EQUATED TO THE LEFT ACCUSING THE RIGHT DURING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION OF MISLEADING THE PUBLIC THAT THE LEFT WAS BEING UNPATRIOTIC FOR NOT “FALLING IN LOCKSTEP” WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. THIS LAST PART IS A BLATANT MISCHARACTERIZATION OF WHY THE RIGHT WAS ACCUSING THE LEFT OF NOT BEING PATRIOTIC. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM NOT FALLING IN “LOCKSTEP” BEHIND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. WHEN PATRIOTISM WAS AT ISSUE, THE LEFT NOT LIKING AMERICA, CONSIDERING AMERICA A BIGOTED, IMPERIALISTIC, UNCOMPASSIONATE BULLY WAS THE EVIDENCE.

SO, HOW IS THIS ANALOGY MISLEADING? THE LEFT IS CURRENTLY MISCHARACTERIZING AND LYING ABOUT THE RIGHT. DURING THE TIMEPERIOD REFERENCED IN THIS ARTICLE, THE RIGHT WAS NOT MISCHARACTERIZING OR LYING ABOUT THE LEFT. OF COURSE THE LEFT WOULD DISAGREE, BUT CANNOT FIND EVEN A HIND OF ACTUAL VIOLENCE ON THE RIGHT WHILE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE ATTITUDES OF AL GORE, HILLARY CLINTON, BARACK OBAMA, HARRY REID, BARNEY FRANK, AND NANCY PELOSI TO NAME A FEW, THE ACCUSATIONS BY THE RIGHT ARE ALMOST UNDENIABLE. THEY CONSTANTLY DOWNED AMERICA. THEY CONSTANTLY CALLED BUSH A LIER. THEY CONSTANTLY CALLED OUR TROOPS MURDERERS. THEY CONSTANTLY CALLED OUR NATION UNCOMPASSIONATE.

SO, THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR IS RIGHT THAT POLITICAL RHETORIC HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN INFLAMMATORY. I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS. WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT I DON’T REALLY FIND THE RIGHT INSINUATING THAT IT HASN’T BEEN OR SHOULDN’T BE, HOWEVER. WHAT I DO FIND IS THE LEFT EXPLICITLY STATING THAT WE SHOULD ALL GET ALONG…THAT POLITICAL DISCOURSE SHOULD BE NON-CONTROVERSIAL…AT LEAST WHERE THE RIGHT IS CONCERNED. WHAT THE MONITOR SHOULDN’T BE COMMENDED FOR, IS PERPETUATING AND CONSENTING TO THE EQUIVOCATION EMPLOYED BY THE LEFT TO MANIPULATE SUCH POLITICAL DISCOURSE.

The incidents – and the accusations and counter-accusations that followed – are parts of a recurring cycle, says Mr. Geer.

Today, many conservatives say liberal agitators and even leaders like House majority whip James Clyburn have embarked on a misinformation campaign to tar modern-day conservatism as the territory of the slightly unhinged.

Five years ago, though, it was liberals who were on the defensive. Many liberals said conservatives were trying to cast them as “unpatriotic” simply because they didn’t fall into lockstep with President Bush’s post-9/11 antiterror policies.

Historically, losing parties take their time to readjust “to the middle,” says Geer.

On healthcare, “the strong reactions from Republicans could put them on the fringe,” he adds. “But if the healthcare reform backfires, then it’s going to hurt the Democrats.”